Mills College vs Principia College

Mills College and Principia College, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. Mills College, a private liberal arts college in Oakland, California, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on social justice and sustainability. Principia College, a private Christian college in Elsah, Illinois, emphasizes spiritual growth and a rigorous academic curriculum. With acceptance rates of 68% and 75%, respectively, both colleges offer accessible pathways to higher education. While Mills College excels in majors like psychology, sociology, and environmental studies, Principia College is known for its strengths in engineering, business, and education. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into further distinctions between these two institutions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your college decision.
Mills College logo

Mills College

Principia College logo

Principia College

Overview

Location Oakland, California Elsah, Illinois
Campus setting City: Large Rural: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 62.0% 81.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 79.8% 84.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range 1378 - 1413 1028 - 1193
ACT range 30 - 31 21 - 28
Students submitting SAT score 5.0% 30.0%
Students submitting ACT score 5.0% 13.0%
Total number of applicants 847 138
Total number of admissions given out 676 116
Admitted students who chose to enroll 39 79
Yield rate 5.8% 68.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $51,108 $42,820
Average net price $25,283 $19,816
Tuition $29,340 $29,970
Room & board $14,369
Room/dormitory: $5,810

Meal plan: $6,460
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $22,278
94.0%
Average amount $25,174
Students receiving federal student loan 47.0%
Average amount $5,389
0.0%
Average amount $0
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $29,740
94.0%
Average amount $2,016

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 446
Men 0.4% Women 99.6%
321
Men 53.0% Women 47.0%
Graduate students 371
Men 18.3% Women 81.7%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 92.7%
International students 1.1% 24.3%
Campus local/setting City: Large Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 705 585
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Missouri California Texas Illinois Ohio

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 5:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 64.0% 85.9%
Dropout rate 36.0% 14.1%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business/Managerial Economics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,948
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $70,496
Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,134
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $57,979
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,320
  • Year 2: $56,579
  • Year 3: $56,033
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $49,646
  • Year 3: $52,756
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,658
  • Year 3: $23,920
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,216
  • Year 2: $24,808
  • Year 3: $23,861
Music (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $22,841
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,229
  • Year 2: $34,526
  • Year 3: N/A
Literature (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,533
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
N/A